ceipts of £1,957,340 are included in Lord Auckland's leading head of net produce of revenue in the year ending the 5th Jan, -1803; under his last head he includes the remainder of the estimate for the whole year, £2,827,783, making together £4,785,123. And, in the middle of his abstract, he inserts £232,097 for beer duties postponed ; that is to say, he squeezes in so much more than the total amount of the beer duties, even as estimated by the Treasury! That Lord Auckland or you should bring forward a statement like this ought not, perhaps, to be wondered at; but, that Mr. Vansittart should put his name to it, does, I must confess, astonish me. The next head of Lord Auckland's additions to the actual receipts of the last year is, "further produce of taxes 1802 ;" that is to say, certain taxes having been imposed during last year, they did not, during that year, produce so much as they will produce this year, and the difference is reckoned at £2,827,783. And, why is this addition made? Because the new taxes fall so much short of the Treasury estimates of these taxes, which estimates were made previous to the laying on of the taxes! But, Sir, after the taxes had been half a year under collection, would it not have been safer for Lord Auckland to ground his estimate upon the result of that collection, rather than upon estimates which experience had proved to be too sanguine? The produce of these taxes, from the 5th of July to the 5th of January, was £1,900,437. Allowing, therefore, that the beer duties postponed ought to be added to this sum, in order to complete the half year, which would then produce £2,132,524, the produce of the whole year would be only £4,265,048, and the sum to be added, on this account, to the net receipts of last year, would be £2,364,621 instead of £2,827,783. As to the increase of bounties and drawbacks (exclusive of corn bounties), and of sugar remaining under bond, though it should be allowed to enter into a comparative estimate of the last with preceding years, it ean have nothing to do with the present or future years; for, if the trade should continue undiminished, what reason is there to suppose, that there will be a decrease of drawbacks and bounties, and why should any thing be allowed for increase of sugar under bond, when that increase was owing merely to an over importation? Lord Auckland himself, indeed, does not seem to place much reliance on these items, which be places beneath his estimate, as something thrown out for the amusement of the lighter moments of the august assembly, to whom that ingenious performance was submitted. After pruning away these exuberant branches of his lordship's pommier d'or, the statement of the real revenue of the year ending on the 5th of January, 1903, will stand thus: Net produce of permanent revenue.. £27,531,353 Malt Tax ...... Total net revenue last year........... Real Surplus, applicable to the maintenance of the Army, Navy, Ordnance, and for other national purposes 2,004,630 2,364,621 370,000 32,270,604 24,631,931 7.538,673 next year, more than three millions and a half. -And, let not this error, or mistatement, be ascribed to haste, or inadvertency. These would, indeed, be very poor grounds of apology; but, insufficient as they might be, you have deprived yourself of them; for, in the same speech which communicated your estimates to the House of Commons, you said, that your "opinion had not been lightly formed, for that you had thought "it your duty to investigate the grounds "of it, with all the minuteness and atten"tion in your power." (4) As it were, too, for the purpose of rendering the act still more deliberate, you afterwards published this speech from your own and Mr. Vansittart's manuscript; and, in this edition of it, all your estimates are repeated, as well as all the confident assertions, as to the correctness of those estimates. The fact is, that the praises which your exhibition had drawn from the shallow-brained part of your spectators (I allude to the gallery, of course), together with the rise that it produced in the funds, and the long lease, which, in consequence thereof, Messrs. Fox and Wilberforce promised you of the Treasury Bench; all these together had absolutely intoxicated your mind; and so, like the crow in the fable, you opened your mouth, and down dropped the pamphlet, which will remain an incontestible and a lasting proof of your want of knowledge, or of your intention to deceive. In stating the deficiency, upon your estimates, of £2,211,327 for the present year, and of £3,556,327 for next year, you will please to observe, that I do not mean the deficiency of the receipts, as compared with the expenditure, of the country, which will be found to be ten millions, at least, instead of two or three. I have here been speaking of receipts only. Preparatory to my comparison between the receipts and expenditure of the country, with which comparison I intend to close the present enquiry, I have been endeavouring to show what the receipts will be, and how much their amount will sink beneath that of the estimates, on which and Lord Auckland have taught the people to rely, as on a security, not only against additional pecuniary burdens, but also against the intrigues and the arms of France. Previous to my comparison between the receipts and the expenditures of the country, I shall, agreeably to my plan, show the difference between the receipts and expenditures of peace, if it continue, with those of war, if it had continued; and, if I do no not greatly deceive you (4) See Speech, Register, Vol. II. p 732. myself, I shall prove, to the satisfaction of every man, not blinded by ignorance or by baseness, that, even in a pecuniary point of view, war, another war, a resolutely-prosecuted and a successful war, against Buonaparté, is the means, and the only possible means, short of the immediate inetrposition of Divine Providence, of saving this coun try from destruction.-But these topicks must be deferred till my next.--I have the honour to be, &c. &c. WM. COBBETT, Duke Street, 12th April, 1803. ON MALTA. SIR,-I beg leave to transmit to you some reflexions on the 10th article of the treaty of Amiens, and I shall be highly flattered by your giving them a place in your Weekly Register, provided you think them worthy. "The islands of Malta, Gozo, and Co66 mino, shall be restored to the Order of "St. John, to be held on the same condi"tions on which it possessed them before "the war," that is, the order is to be restored with all its abuses, and the government of the island is to resume its former tyranny. This confirms the abolition of all the civil rights which the Maltese formerly enjoyed (which rights the Grand Masters have constantly endeavoured to destroy), and reduces that unhappy people to abject slavery. They have, at different times, formed plans to make an effort to recover their lost rights, and are now, more than ever, disposed to do so, from the independent ideas which they have imbibed by their intercourse with the English. Is this article calculated to preserve peace in the island, and to make the government independent? Certainly not. The Maltese would rebel against the Order, and Buonaparté embrace the opportunity to seize upon the island. By the first section of this ar ticle," the Grand Master is to be elected in a general chapter." But in October *, ministers made a further concession, and consented that the Pope, the creature of Buonaparté, should, and he has, nominated a Grand Master. And who? Tomasi. A man held in execration by the Maltese! In the third section of it, we find that "there "shall be established a Maltese Langue "which shall be supported by the territorial ་ revenues and commercial duties of the "island;" which is neither more nor less, than laying a new burthen upon the Maltese by way of boon, in the shape of a benefit. The territorial revenues and commercial duties are already absorbed by the civil go. * See present Summary, p. 566. vernment; the Maltese will reap no advantage under heaven from having a Langue, for the Order has nothing to do with the government of the island: the Grand Master is prince of the island, and he alone governs. This Langue is a French project formed some years since, (and is now to be seen in print), as a means of acquiring to France additional influence in the island. "Proofs of nobility shall not be necessary "for admission of Knights of this Langue.' -Why? The Maltese nobility is chiefly of the 12th, 13th, and 14th centuries. This French troops marched in.-Was this understood when the treaty was signed? I shall conclude what I had to trouble you with, by contending that the 10th art. of the treaty of Amiens was dictated by France, who well knew what she was about; the effect of it will inevitably be to make the Maltese desperate, and to excite them to rebellion, by which France will profit; and it manifestly appears, that our government when they agreed to this article did not know that the Grand Master was Prince of Malta, and that the Knights and Langues had nothing to do with the principality. Yours, &c. HILEY ADDINGTON'S BIRTH-DAY. J. B. Reading, April 6, 1803. SIR,-In your account of the festivity of Apothecaries' Hall, on the first of April (Mr. Hiley's birth-day, and anniversary of the Amiens treaty) in your last week's Re omission, which this letter is intended to supply. I allude to the inclosed song, composed by a Reverend Divine of this town, a great admirer of Mr. Addington senior. He rehearsed it to the passengers in the Long Coach, on our journey to town; and afterwards sung it with infinite applause, towards the end of the evening, when the company were got a little merry. The insertion will oblige the whole of the rural party-(as you are pleased to call us)—and among them, Sir, your obedient servant, TIMOTHY GOSLING. Moderate Men and moderate Measures. Praise to placeless, proud ability, will be the effect: the Grand Master will have no restraint, and will put in his own mean tools as knights, and the Maltese will never have a Grand Master from this Langue, as the Langue will not be composed of nobles." At least balf of the municipal, "administrative, civil, judicial, and other " employments depending on the govern"ment shall be filled by inhabitants of the « islands of Malta, Gezo, and Comino."-gister, (p. 521.) I am sorry to observe an Before, they were all Maltese; now they are nearly half.-It is a mockery, to confer upon them a favour which deprives them of half what they had.-In the 5th section we find that one half of the garrison at least, shall be composed of Maltese, formerly all the troops were Maltese, officered by knights, besides a militia little short of 20,000 men-In section 8, "The ports of "Malta shall be opened to the commerce "of all nations, who shall there pay equal " and moderate duties."-Great Britain had made Malta a free port. If duties are again to be paid, Messina, Leghorn, and other free ports will deprive Malta, as heretofore, of all trade; under the government of England it was beginning to rival them. This again tends to make the Maltese disaffected towards the government of the Grand Masters, (for they always oppressed trade, to keep the Maltese poor and dependent,) this is just what France wishes.-As to the 9th section, the only use of the Order of St. John was to preserve Sicily from the incursions of the Barbary cruisers, and they did this but imperfectly. In 10th section, it states that "the Order shall be governed, both with "respect to spirituals and temporals, by the "same statutes which were in force when the "knights left the island, as far as the present "treaty does not abrogate them." This confirms the internal government of the Order in all its abuses, which abuses gave France the means, and will again give it, of making a party in the knights.-I must just, en passant, make one observation on the 11th art. of the treaty, which stipulates that the English troops shall evacuate Porto Ferraro.They did evacuate it, and, in a few days the Let the prudent muse disclaim; Makes us wild alarms to teel; (1) CHORUS. Gently purging, Gently purging, Gently purging Britain's weal. (1) Tend to councils much too bold; GRAND CHORUS. All that glisters, All that glisters, All that glisters is not gold. (2) "Ere human statute purged the general weal.” (2) " Nor all that glisters gold.” SHAKESPEARE. GRAY. EPIGRAM. On the Addingtonian Navy. Fifty ships in a month, fit to rule on the ocean, He vow'd should be ready these Frenchmen to meet! The Doctor may know how to make up a potion, But "fiat mixtura" won't make up a fleet. THE BLOCKS! "We are happy to assure our readers, that the "Blocks intended to guard the Thames are nearly ready. True Briton, April 1." This assurance has been received in all parts of the country with the most lively satisfaction. That within so short a space of time as three weeks, or a month, after the minister had announced imminent danger of invasion, any part of our system of defence should be nearly ready," is certainly a most charming consideration, and reflects the highest honour on the spirit and alacrity of the government.-The only thing wanting to complete the public contentment is to be distinctly informed, wHAT OF WHO these same blocks are, whose forward state of readiness is so loudly vaunted.-Several inquiries have reached us from correspondents in distant parts of the kingdom on this subject and as we are really at a loss ourselves for a satisfactory explanation, we subjoin the communications that have come to us just as we have received them.-They have, for the most part, taken the turn of epigrams. The following is the first that set us really thinking upon the subject. EPIGRAMS.-No. I. If Blocks can from danger deliver, Two places are safe from the French; The second the Treasury Bench. No. II. appears in the form of a charade, of which we shall be obliged to any of our readers for a solution. It is dated from University College, Oxford. My first protects Thames' sacred stream; While some, impatient, call for Pitt; E'en to be saved by Fox- PUBLIC PAPERS. MALTA.-Letter from M. de Busy to the English Minister at Malta.-Dated Malta, March 1, 1803. Mous. the English Minister. I had the honour this morning of stating to your Exc, the object of the mission with which I am charged; to which you replied, that you had no orders to evacuate Malta, and that gave me to understand that the Grand Master had better not repair thither. After having reflected upon this answer, which was not so satisfactory as His Highness expected, it seemed to me that it required further explanation. As your Excellency's answer appeared to contain a refusal to restore Malta to the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, conformably to the 10th art. of the treaty of Amiens, and as such a violation of the treaty might lead to the most important consequences, and even the most fatal to the repose of Europe; I cannot remain satisfied with the verbal answer you have given me, and I therefore request you to state in a public and authentic manner, the motives of this unexpected refusal. have the honour to recall to the recollection of your Exc. that conformably to the 4th paragraph of the 10th art. of the treaty of Amiens, the forces of his Brit. Majesty were to evacuate that island and its dependencies within 3 months from the exchange of the ratification of the treaty, or sooner if possible. That period has expired some time. The treaty adds, that "the island shall be given up to the Order in its present state, provided the Grand Master, or Commissaries fully authorized according to the statutes of the Order, shall be in the island to take possession, and provided the troops which his Sicilian Majesty is to furnish shall have arrived." Those troops have arrived a long time, and the only condition remaining to be fulfilled, was the arrival of the G. Master, or his Commissaries, to take possession. This condition is now accomplished by my arrival.-The G. Master has deigned to appoint me his Ambassador Ext. and Plenip. to treat, conclude, accomplish, and concert with the English and French Ministers Plenip. and with the actual English gov. in the island, upon all the articles relative to the restoration of religion to the island of Malta, as well as upon the restoration of the place." Such are the terms of the full powers with which I am vested, and of which I have sent you a copy. According to the tenor of these full powers, and the different stipu lations of the treaty of Amiens, being accomplished for the restoration of the island of Malta to the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, I demand formally the execution of the Ioth art. parag. 4, of the said treaty, and I beg that I may receive a categorical answer.-Accept the assurance, &c. (Signed) 1 BUSSY. The answer of M. the English Minister to M. the com mander Buy. Malta, March 2, 1803. SIR, I have received the letter which your Ex. cellency did me the honour to write to me yesterday, in which some dissatisfaction is expressed at my verbal communication respecting the object of your mission: and in which it is demanded that I should detail, in writing, my reasons for refusing to deliver up the Gov. of these isles, on the arrival of his Eminence the Grand Master of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.-In reply, I beg leave to observe, that as some of the powers invited by the terms of the 10th art. of the treaty of Amiens to guarantee the independence of Malta, have not yet acceded to that measure, I do not think myself authorized to put an end to the Gov. of his Britannic Majesty here, until I receive special instruc tions from my court.-Your Exc. will observe, that I wish to dissuade the G. Master from coming to reside here. Your Exc. may recollect that I spoke, to you on that subject, to the following purport: -On your observations, that the G. Master reckoned on having immediate possession of the palace of gov. at the Fort of Vallette, I informed you, that under the present circumstances, I could not accede to the desire of his Eminence, it being absolutely necessary that his Exc. Gen. Villette and myself should continue in the palace for the purpose of transacting the official business of our respective departments.-I request, however, to recall to your Excellency's remembrance, that 1 offered at the same time the palace of Boschetta for the residence of the G. Master, a situation which I conceived to be in every respect suitable to his Eminence, until the period when he might take upon him the direction of the govt-But as the palace of Boschetta is not at present furnished, I took the liberty to suggest that it would be more suitable to remain some time in Sicily, and so much the more so, as the then residence of his Eminence would be but a day's voyage from this island. As to any thing further, his Eminence may be assured that the moment I think myself authorized to deliver up the Govt. I will inform him of it. I have the honour to be, &c. Proclamation, by the Hon Major-General John Doyle, Colonel of his Majesty's 87th Reg. of Fost, and Commander in Chief of his Majesty's Forces in the Island of Guernsey, St. Whereas, his Majesty's orders have been received to adopt every measure of precaution and preparation for the better defence and security of the Island of Guernsey: This is to give notice, That in the event of an attack, martial law will of course take place; in which case, upon the alarm guns being fired, the master and crews of the different vessels, subjects to his Majesty, and who may be then in the Pier, or in any of the roads of this island, likewise all such other seafaring persons who may not be particularly attached to the militia, do repair to the South Pier, where they will be armed and embodied under the command of Capt. Dobree, of the royal navy, who will thereupon rank as Lt.-Col. in the army from the date of his commission. They are implicitly to obey all orders they may receive from him, or such other officers as may be appointed to act under him, and are in every respect to be subject to military discipline.--By an ordinance of the royal court, bearing date the 15th of May, 1779, it is enacted, "That on martial law taking "place, all subjects of his Majesty who shall be "refractory or disobedient to the orders of the "Lt.-Gov. or of any other officer, or who shall "be wanting in their duty, shall be judged and punished by and according to the laws of war. "And it is expressly forbidden to all tavern or ❝inn-keepers, or others lodging of strangers, to "keep, conceal, or entertain at their houses, or "otherwise, any of his Majesty's subjects, after "signal of an alarm shall be given, upon pain of being punished to the rigour of the law, which "martial law shall remain and continue in full "force, during any apprehension of the enemy, "and until it shall be repealed by beat of drum. "And it is farther expressly ordered, for all fo*reigners, upon the first sound of an alarm, to re"tire to their lodging, and all Foreign Masters of "Vessels and their crews, which shall be in the har"bour or roads of this island, to repair on board "their respective vessels, and there remain during "the whole time of such alarm, without going there4 from, except in any case of necessity to apply to the officer commanding the Pier Guard, who shall give such directions as he shall think "meet; upon pain of their being punished to "the rigour of the laws. And it is also forbid 66 "den to all tavern and inn-keepers, or other "retailers of spirituous liquors, atter the alarm "shall be given, to give any spirituous liquor to any soldier or militia men, without leave from "their officers."-The High Bailiff being in possession of a commission, is to have the command of the town and those placed in it for the preser, vation of tranquillity; and should any person be found disturbing the peace, or in the act of riot ing or pillaging, they will be subject, to instant military execution.-Given at Head-Quarters, Guernsey, this 16th of March, 1803.-By Order of the Commander in Chief.-Thomas Sau ma ez,-Acting Q-Master General. General Order, By Major-Gen. John Doyle, Col. of his Ma jesty's 87th reg. of foot, and Commander in Chief of his Majesty's forces in the island of Guernsey. -Notice is hereby given to all strangers, subjects of his Majesty now in this island, or who may hereafter arrive in it, and who are not enrolled in the militia, or whose duty in case of alarm is not already clearly defined in former regulations, that, upon the alarm guns being fired from Fort George, Castle Corret and Vale Castle, (by which the island is placed under martial law) they are immediately to be formed into a staff corps, under the command of Capt. Ralph Davison, of St. Peter's-Port; and to repair to the Esplanade of Fort George, there to follow such directions as they may receive from the Commanding Royal Engineer, or the officer under his orders, for the purpose of their being employed in the manner best suited to the power and abilities of each in forwarding the public service. Whoever shall neglect most exactly to ovey this order will be exposed to the consequences which must inevitably ensue to all those who shall not be found at the moment of danger zealously exerting themselves at the post assigned them for the defence of the island, in conformity to its known laws and constitution.-Given at HeadQuarters, Guernsey, the 16th March, 1803.-By order of the Commander in Chiet,-Thomas Saumarez, Acting Q Master General. FOREIGN COUNTRIES. Constantin ple, Feb. 25-His Brit. Majesty has appointed the merchant, Fr. Sommer, at Bucharest, his Consul for Moldavia and Wallachia, an office which did not before exist, but which has been established after the example of Russia, Austria, and France, which latter has also sent commercial Commissioners to Moldavia and Wal.. lachia. They write from Alexandria, in Egypt, of the date the 19th of January, that the English were making preparations to evacuate Egypt. Venice, March 18.-By an edict of his Imperial Majesty, published here the day before yesterday, the Austro-Venetian country is to be divided into seven provinces, viz. Venice and Togado, the Friule, Treviso, Padua, Vicenza, Verona and Belluno: they will all retain their present limits: each will be governed by a provincia! Captain, who is to execute the orders of the Gov. Gen. of Venice. Milan, March 20.-The Minister of religion has written a circular letter to the Archbishops and Bishops of the Republic, to explain to them the necessity of the military conscription, and to induce them to use their influence in the execution of this measure. Berlin, March 24.-A certain degree of coolness is still remarked betweeu our Court and that of Vienna. The successor of the Count de Stadion |